The last two novels I’ve finished were written in the first person, but with my new WIP I’m trying third.

I’ve been struggling a little bit and finally today I realized why. With the first person POV, I didn’t have to think about who was telling the story. It was my protagonists. So all I had to do was imagine my protagnoists talking to a girlfriend, and presto I had my voice.

But with third person, my tendency is to fall into a more detached and literary tone. The attitude is more cool; it feels like I’m toying with my characters rather than living them from the inside out. Pushing them around on the plate with my fork.

I don’t like it — I don’t like how it feels to write it and I don’t like the prose that comes out at the other end.

I’m going to start revising. Only first, I’m going to figure out who is telling this new story I’ve got working. It won’t be anyone who is ever identified and she won’t be part of the novel. But she exists, and when I’ve found her voice I have a feeling things are going to begin falling into place with this book . . .